GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The finish line was only about 500 meters away, and Lindsey Scherf was that close to getting her hands on the $1,000 cash bonus.

The problem for the 28-year old runner from Ossining, N.Y., was that she heard footsteps, and they were closing fast.

Lindsey Scherf, of Ossining, N.Y., wins the women's Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K race Saturday, May 9, 2015.

Scherf won Saturday morning's 38th annual Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K women's open race in 1 hour, 26 minutes, 35.62 seconds, enabling her to beat out Sara Hall of Flagstaff, Ariz. (1:27.41).

This year marked the first time that race officials staggered the race's start, which saw the elite women leave 13 minutes ahead of the men. Scherf earned $7,000 for taking top honors, and she would have won a $1,000 bonus if she was the first runner to cross the finish line.

Men's champion Jared Ward, however, was able to run down and pass Scherf late.

"It was a valiant effort," Scherf said. "I couldn't match the kick he had. I looked up with 500 meters to go and saw that I didn't have a good enough real estate. He had incredible speed and toughness. I tried to sprint with 500 to go, but then I had to scale back so I could finish the last 200. I was done. He got me.

"He brought out a toughness and digging deep.I felt comfortable most of the race, but he made me work at the end. He made me find an ability that I didn't think I had."

Ward said Scherf pushed him to a better finish, too. Ward, of Utah, went 1:14.57 to beat out Christo Landry (1:15..02) of Charlotte, N.C.

"I couldn't see her until the straightaway," Ward said. "That was fun at the end there, seeing them out there working hard. That helped me to the line. It was certainly close."

Scherf, who coaches girls varsity track at Riverdale High School in the Bronx, entered the River Bank Run for the third time, and she was runner-up in 2012. It was Scherf's first U.S. Championship victory.

"It was more challenging than past days that I've run it, but I embraced the challenge," she said. "It's character building for life outside of running.

"I want to thank the volunteers, first and foremost, and the people on the course encouraging us. They did an amazing job. This was a good field of ladies who kept me at a good clip early on."